


Honesty is the Best Policy

by SpankMyAstonMartin



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Gen, Maggie is welcomed into the space family, except not in a role she's expecting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:04:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8906389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpankMyAstonMartin/pseuds/SpankMyAstonMartin
Summary: Maggie isn't quite sure when the term 'lesbian' becomes synonymous with 'therapist.'In which everyone sort of, kind of comes out to Maggie about something.Based off this Tumblr post: http://lookintoyourgalaxyheart.tumblr.com/post/154060493052/i-want-literally-everyone-coming-out-to-maggie





	1. James

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She and Alex have been dating for all of two weeks when the first of the people in Alex’s life decide to use Maggie as an outlet for their deepest, darkest secrets. Okay, so it’s a little dramatic, but so is the reveal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this part seems rushed or doesn't make much sense. It's almost 1:30am over here but my brain wouldn't shut up about this.

Maggie isn’t quite sure when the term ‘lesbian’ became synonymous with ‘therapist.’ And yet, somehow it happens to her.

She and Alex have been dating for all of two weeks when the first of the people in Alex’s life decide to use Maggie as an outlet for their deepest, darkest secrets. Okay, so it’s a little dramatic, but so is the reveal.

Maggie is just coming off her shift when it happens the first time. She’s on her way to pick up some dinner. She and Alex are going to have their first dinner with Kara as a couple. They’ve done lunch, hung out at a bar with Kara, Winn, and James (a human one because going to the alien bar is still a little painful for everyone), and have gone shopping. But never dinner with just the three of them. Maggie still thinks Kara is still a little upset with her for hurting Alex.

She’s trying to juggle two pizzas and a bag with a takeout container of no less than twelve potstickers and out pops James Olsen from the pharmacy in between the pizza and Chinese places. He’s carrying a bag that rattles when he moves. He limps in a way that Maggie finds familiar. They stare at each other for a few moments, each eyeing what the other is holding.

“Dinner with the Danvers sisters?” James asks.

Maggie motions to the bag in his hand. “Dinner with some pills?”

“Just some Motrin. Pulled a muscle working out the other day.”

“Well, enjoy. Don’t hurt yourself too much. I don’t think CatCo is ready for another change in CEOs.”

James chuckles. 

They’re about to part ways when a black sedan comes speeding down the road and pulls to a stop in front of them. Three guys in masks with guns jump out of the car. They rush into the pharmacy. Maggie groans. Alex is going to kill her if she’s late.

“Hold this,” Maggie and James say at the same time, offering each other the stuff they're holding.

Maggie scoffs. “You’re joking right? Did you forget I’m a cop?”

“Trust me.” James tries to shove his bag of Motrin into Maggie’s hands. “I’ve got this.”

“You’ve got nothing. I’m the one with a gun.”

“Yeah and if you get shot again, Alex is going to be so angry.”

“And if you get shot, Alex and Kara are never going to forgive me. So hold my pizza and potstickers and get the hell out of my way.” As an afterthought she adds, “And call the cops. And then Kara and tell them I’m going to be late.”

Maggie’s about to shove her pizza and potstickers into James’ arms when James picks her up and carries her into a nearby alley. He sets her down in front of what appears to be his motorcycle judging by how he’s opening the storage compartment and pulling out a helmet and –

“Are you kidding me?” Maggie asks.

James gives her a half-smile and slips on the helmet. He’s holding Guardian’s shield and taps a button on the inside of it. The rest of Guardian’s suit expands out from the shield until it encompasses James’ body.

“Stay here,” James – er Guardian says before rushing back to the pharmacy.

Maggie does as she’s told. She calls in the robbery because screw being late to dinner over this. Her colleagues are more than capable of cleaning up once Guardian is done with those clowns. 

She’s still standing in the alley five minutes later when Guardian returns. She hears police sirens approaching. Guardian is limping a little more than he was earlier. Maggie can’t help but joke about it.

“Pulled a muscle working out, huh?” She suddenly remembers the hard fall Guardian took last week when he was helping Supergirl take down an eight foot tall alien with horns.

Guardian pulls off the helmet and he’s James again. James smiles at her and shrugs.

“I know Alex knows from the whole ‘back off Guardian’ thing a few weeks back but, does Kara know?” Maggie asks. “Does Winn?”

James shakes his head. “I haven’t told Kara yet. I’m not even really sure I know how to tell her.”

“Soften her up with pizza and potstickers first,” Maggie says. “I’ve heard that’s a good way to get her in a good mood.”

James laughs. He walks Maggie to her car just as the NCPD shows up. They manage to go by unnoticed. Which is great because if any of her colleagues saw her here, they’d probably start asking questions and Maggie really can’t afford to be late to dinner. She has a little sister to impress.

“Hey, Maggie?” James pauses after helping her load and secure the food in the front passenger’s seat. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Considering you helped me get to dinner on time, sure. What’s up?”

“Can you hold off on telling Alex you know about me? She already doesn’t want me telling Kara just yet and I’m not sure how she’ll react to me revealing my secret to you.”

Maggie gives James a reassuring smile and says, “You got it. But then I need you to do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

“Don’t wait too long to tell Kara. The longer you hide it, the more upset she’s going to be.”

James nods. He gives Maggie a wave and she’s off to dinner.

##

Three days later James shows up at the precinct with take out from Noonan’s and a smile. It’s her favorite sandwich. James is also wearing a smile Maggie is all too familiar with. It’s the smile of someone who wants a favor.

“What do you need, Olsen?” Maggie asks before tearing into her lunch.

While James takes his time coming up with the right words to say, Maggie takes a picture of her lunch and sends it to Alex. At least now her girlfriend can’t nag her about remembering to eat. She sends Alex another message reminding her to eat because it’s almost two in the afternoon and Alex probably hasn’t eaten lunch yet. Alex sends her back a picture of her lunch from her favorite food truck in Chicago with the caption, ‘Courtesy of Supergirl.’ Maggie pouts. That’s not fair.

“I think I’m going to tell Kara today,” James finally says.

Maggie looks up from her sandwich. “And?”

“I need advice.”

“What kind of advice?” Maggie tries to decide what sort of advice requires bribery in the form of food. What exactly did she get herself into by eating this lunch?

“On how I should tell her.”

Maggie thinks back to her dinner with Alex and Kara earlier in the week. Kara had inhaled most of the food. How she managed that exactly, Maggie still wasn’t sure. One and a quarter pizzas and seven potstickers and Kara still wanted the last potsticker. She and Alex had been bickering over who would get it when Maggie swiped it and ate it. Kara pouted until Alex went to her freezer and pulled out a pint of cookie dough ice cream, all for her.

“Pizza and potstickers to get her in a good mood like I said. And then cookie dough ice cream in case she gets upset.”  


“That’s it?”

“Yep.” Maggie shrugs. “Sometimes there is no big reveal. Sometimes you just gotta sit the people you care about down and tell them about yourself. They’ll react however they react. You just need to hope for the best.”

“Thanks, Maggie,” James says. He backs away from Maggie’s desk and heads for the door.

“Hey, Olsen,” Maggie calls out after him. She waits until James turns around to speak again, “Good luck. And don’t let Kara scare you. She’s like a puppy.”

James looks at her like she might be crazy. “Then you don’t know Kara very well.”

Maggie ponders over James’ words as she finishes her lunch. What the hell did that mean?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone have any idea of how James carries his Guardian suit around? I'm just going to assume Winn has done some Tony Stark-esque things to it that he can carry it or wear some of it under his regular clothes because why not? Superheroes need to be prepared at all times.


	2. Winn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winn is the next to "come out" to Maggie. Twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maggie is a little shit.

Winn is the next person to "come out" to Maggie. Twice.

They're at the alien bar and he's a little drunk the first time he comes out and tells Maggie anything. Maggie has just finished losing another game of pool to Alex. She bows out gracefully, citing that she wants to see someone else lose to Alex for once. Her wallet can only take so much abuse. (Though she's stopped worrying about losing all that money when Alex uses it to pay for all the take out they've been ordering recently.)

Winn joins her at the bar while Alex preps for a game against James. Kara has made friends with some blue skinned aliens and is currently kicking ass at darts. Mike, the new bartender and the most recent person in the long line of suitors following Kara, is arguing with someone about what goes in a certain drink. J'onn watches them, looks ready to jump in at the first sign of a fight. Maggie thinks about how this is the first time she's been out with Alex's entire National City family.

"Can I just say," Winn starts, leaning against the bar for support, "that this is the happiest I have seen Alex. Ever."

Maggie grins, ducks her head. When she looks back up, Winn has a more serious look on his face. He picks at the label of his beer bottle.

"You okay there, Schott?"

"Yeah." Winn's voice does nothing to convince Maggie that he's okay. Or as okay as he wants her to believe. "Just thinking."

"Well don't think too hard. I don't think the DEO would appreciate it if you fried that genius brain of yours with non-work related thoughts."

"Psh. My brain is impossible to fry."

Maggie says nothing. Just raises her eyebrows and takes a sip of her beer. She glances over to the pool table where Alex is, naturally, kicking James' ass. Alex looks over at her and Maggie winks.

"Did you know that I was in the foster care system growing up?" Winn asks. 

Maggie shakes her head.

"Well I was." Winn clears his throats and completely rips off the beer bottle label. "My uh - my dad was - is the Toymaker. When I was eleven he killed six people and went to jail. Then my mom left and I was placed in foster care."

"Winn." Maggie reaches out and squeezes his shoulder.

"And you know I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me." Winn waves a hand. "I wanted to tell you this because you're important to Alex and Kara. And I didn't really have a family after all of that. But then I met Kara and James and then Alex and J'onn. And..."

"And now you have a family," Maggie finishes for him.

"Yeah. And I want you to know that I think you're part of the family too."

Maggie blinks, surprised for a moment before she smiles so wide her cheeks start to hurt. Her smile doesn't fade as Alex, high off yet another victory, joins them.

"What are you two smiling about?" Alex asks.

"I was just welcoming Maggie to the family," Winn says.

Alex blushes. Maggie kisses her cheek and orders another round of drinks for her family.

##

Winn is waiting for Maggie outside of the precinct a few weeks later. Maggie doesn't notice him at first. He's foolishly waiting in the shadows. She almost draws her weapon on him when he steps forward, clearing his throat.

"Jesus, Scott. What the hell?"

Winn at least has the decency to look contrite while holding his hands up in the air. Maggie whacks him upside the head as soon as he gets within reach.

"I need your help," he says.

Maggie's mind immediately goes to Alex and then to Kara. Winn notices the panicked look on her face. He jumps in front of her, arms flailing.

"Alex and Kara are fine!" He chews on this thumbnail for a moment before continuing. "I, on the other hand, might not be."

"What's wrong? Is it your dad?"

"No! No, my dad is, hopefully, locked away and not trying to contact me again."

After their little talk in the bar a few weeks ago, Maggie made time to find Winn alone at the DEO one day while Alex was out saving the world with Supergirl. She brought him (and Alex and Supergirl and J'onn) lunch. They started talking and Winn told her all about his dad.

"Um. So the help I need is more like advice?"

Maggie narrows her eyes and asks, "Do I need to give you the talk, Winn? You need protection? Cause I don't have any."

"What? No! I don't need - nor do I want you to give me the talk." Winn shakes his head. "But thank you for that awkward offer. Ugh. Jesus, Maggie. No."

Maggie laughs while Winn tries to delete the last thirty seconds from his mind. He shoots her what would be a glare if not for the fact that he looks like he's in physical pain. It reminds Maggie of the face her younger brother made when she jokingly made the same offer right before he left for college. Maggie makes a mental note to call her brother and bother him at some point this week.

"So what advice can I give you that you can't get from Alex, Kara, or James?"

"Well it has to do with Kara, so I can't ask her. Alex would tell me not to do anything because it might make Kara upset. And James told me to ask you."

Maggie tilts her head. Studies Winn. He's fidgeting and refuses to make eye contact with her. He's obviously nervous about whatever it is he's trying to tell her. Maggie knows this is a long shot, but she takes a stab at guessing what Winn wants to tell her. With amusing results.

"Do you want advice on how to tell Kara you have feelings for her?"

Winn sputters. 

"What? No! No." He gets that pained look on his face again. He groans when Maggie starts laughing again. "Can you please take this seriously?"

"I will once you tell me what you want advice on."

Winn rolls his eyes and says, "I need your help in telling Kara something about me."

"About you." Maggie arches a brow. "You're not trying to tell me you're gay, are you?"

"Maggie!"

"Sorry. Carry on. What secret do you want to tell Kara?"

"It's about me and James. Well. It's more about me and Guardian I guess."

"So you are gay. And you're secretly dating James who happens to be Guardian."

"You know what? I don't need your advice anymore."

Maggie grins at Winn who huffs. He crosses his arms over his chest. He really does remind Maggie of her younger brother. She makes a mental note to call him tonight. Maybe she'll even FaceTime him. He really wants to meet Alex.

"Are you done being a pain in the ass?"

"Eh." Maggie shrugs. "You welcomed me into the family, Schott. Now you have to deal with the consequences."

"Anyway." Winn shakes his head but there's a hint of a smile on his face. "I need help on how I should tell Kara that I'm the guy helping James when he's Guardian."

"So you're the man in the van."

"Yeah."

Maggie leans against the wall of the building. She would have told him the same thing she told James: bribery with pizza and potstickers. Except it didn't really work for James. It took Kara a week to speak with him again and just under two weeks to not be completely upset with him. 

"Just tell her?" Maggie lifts a shoulder, knowing it's the least helpful piece of advice she could have given him. "She's going to be upset no matter what if the whole thing with James is anything to go by."

"Yeah." Winn makes a face. "Having Kara mad at you isn't fun."

Maggie hums in agreement. She will never forget her first encounter with Kara.

"Alex and I can talk to her if you want?" Maggie suggests. "Alex will do most of the talking, assuming she knows, and I can keep you updated on how Kara reacts."

Winn chuckles. He pats Maggie on the shoulder.

"I think I'm just going to tell her. Um. Thanks for the talk, Maggie."

"Any time, Winn. My offer still stands though." She smirks at the confusion that crosses Winn's face. "Just let me know when you need that talk."

"Goodbye, Maggie!"

Winn walks away to the sound of Maggie's laughter.

Maggie finds out how Winn's talk with Kara goes three days later. Alex comes over with takeout just as Maggie is finished changing after her shower. She sets the table and waits for Maggie to join her before she says anything.

"So Winn told Kara he's helping the Guardian."

"How'd that go?" Maggie asks as she piles some noodles on her plate.

"Better than her talk with James."

"Really?"

"Really. She figured it out a couple of weeks ago she said. She's not happy, obviously. But Winn's in a van and isn't actually fighting anyone so she's not as upset."

"That's good. He was worried she'd stop speaking to him."

Alex's fork stops halfway to her mouth.

"He talked to you about this?"

"Yeah. He wanted advice on how to tell her."

"So both James and Winn came to you for advice on their Guardian secrets. Interesting."

"I'm surprised they didn't go to you for advice."

"They tried to. Sort of on Thanksgiving. But I told them not to tell her because I wanted to come out to my mom and I didn't want their vigilante hijinks to screw it up."

"You wanted to come out to your mom on Thanksgiving?" Maggie snorts. "That's pretty gay, Danvers."

"Yeah well, it turns out I'm pretty gay, Sawyer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously this diverges from canon just a smidge in regards to the whole Guardian and Winn reveal because my procrastination has hit an all-time high. I had actually finished this around Christmas-time but then the holidays hit and then I went to Hawaii for some much needed R&R and came back lazy.


	3. J'onn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> J'onn and Maggie talk of home and the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in between 'The Martian Chronicles' and 'Luthors.'

The next person to talk to Maggie is J’onn, which kind of terrifies Maggie and makes her feel even more welcomed by Alex’s space family.

Maggie is at the DEO when it happens. Alex and Supergirl are out on a mission that running late. It’s a simple recon mission but it has the potential to turn messy if they’re not careful, which is why Supergirl is flying around the building scanning and listening for any signs of trouble.

J’onn is standing on the balcony, looking up at the sky. He gave Agent Vasquez control over the operation so he can get some fresh air. Maggie knocks on the door frame before stepping out on the balcony. J’onn doesn’t look at her.

“How much do you know about Mars, Detective?” J’onn asks.

“Not much aside from pictures that come from NASA,” Maggie confesses. “M’gann never talked much about much about her past at the bar. She preferred to listen to other people’s stories about their homes.”

“Did you ever tell her about your home?”

Maggie shakes her head. She doesn't even want to tell Alex about how she was outed by someone she thought was her best friend, someone she cared about, and kicked out of her home. Sure she made a home with her aunt but it wasn’t the same. She did, however, tell M’gann about Alex and how she’s starting to become a home for Maggie.

“She went back, you know. To Mars.”

“I know. The bar isn’t the same without her.”

“No, it’s not.”

“How are you doing, sir? With her gone?”

J’onn doesn’t answer. He just stares up at the sky. Maggie wonders if his eyesight is good enough for him to see all the way to Mars.

“It’s not.”

Maggie looks up at J’onn, confused, until she remembers that he’s psychic.

“Nice avoidance.”

“I’m not avoiding your question, Detective. I’m just…thinking.”

“About?”

“Home and what it means.”

“And what does it mean to you, sir?”

“What does it mean to you?”

Maggie leans her forearms against the banister. She looks out at National City, a city that she’s been living in for the last four years. The city that is slowly but surely starting to feel like a place she can call home, the home she’s always wanted thanks to Alex, her horrible-at-keeping-secrets sister, their space dad, and human brother.

“Home is all about the people you choose to spend your life with,” Maggie finally says. “The physical location may change but none of that matters without the right people around you.”

“And have you found your home?”

“I think so. What about you?”

“It took me a long time to find the DEO and make them family but I finally did when Alex and Supergirl joined the team.”

“And Kara,” Maggie spullies with a smirk.

“And Kara.” J’onn returns her smirk with one of his own.

“And M’gann?”

“M’gann as well before she left.”

“She’ll come back, J’onn.” Maggie reaches up to squeeze his shoulder. “You’re her home as well. Mars is just the planet where the two of you used to live.”

The two of them don’t say anything for a few minutes. They alternate between staring out at National City and up at the quickly darkening sky. They are high enough that they can see the stars. Vasquez comes over to let them know that the mission is finished and Alex and Supergirl are heading back.

“I can see why James and Winn went to talk to you,” J’onn says as they walk back to the control room.

“They’re very good people, sir. I’m lucky to have them in my life now.”

“They’re lucky to have you in their lives too.” He clears his throat and stops walking. “Detective Sawyer, I hope you know what being part of this family means.”

“Excuse me, sir?”

“This space family, as you all like to call it. We don’t just protect the world from threats of the extra-normal variety. We also protect each other. We protect our own.”

“I understand.”

“Good. I want you to know that we all consider you to be one of our own.”

Maggie blinks back the tears that spring to her eyes. She nods and mirrors the smile J’onn gives her.

“But. J’onn’s tone becomes super serious and Maggie squares her shoulders; she knows what's coming next. “Just know that if you hurt Alex, her sister can fling you into the sun. And I just might let her.”

“Understood.”

“Good.” He nods towards the elevator when it opens and Alex and Supergirl and their team step out. “Now go see your girl before she sees us and starts to freak out.”

Maggie smiles and nods. She makes her way over to Alex who spotted Maggie talking to J’onn the second the elevator doors opened. She notices the brief curiosity mixed with a hint of fear in Alex’s eyes.

“Is everything okay?” Alex’s gaze darts back and forth between Maggie and J’onn, who is talking to Supergirl.

“Everything is fine, Danvers,” Maggie says. She rubs Alex’s arms. “Space dad was just giving me the shovel talk.”

“Oh?” Alex actually squeaks. “Wha-What’d he say?”

“That he'd let Supergirl fling me into the sun if I ever hurt you.”

“What?!”

“Relax, Alex. I totally get it.” Maggie pushes up on her tiptoes to kiss Alex’s forehead. “Families protect and fight for their own. They’re just looking out for you.”

“Yeah.” Alex takes a deep breath. “Yeah.”

“You good, Alex?”

“Of course. Dinner after the debriefing?”

“Don’t we usually have dinner _before_ the debriefing?”

“Maggie!”

Maggie laughs. She kisses Alex and tells her to go talk to J’onn and Supergirl and Vasquez and the others involved in the mission.

“Wait for me?” Alex asks. “Should only be another twenty minutes or so.”

“Of course,” Maggie says.

She leave out the ‘always.’ She thinks it and she knows J’onn ‘heard’ that by the smile and nod he gives her when they make eye contact. His approval makes Maggie’s heart swell. So this was what it was like to be accepted, to have a supportive father figure. Maggie thinks she could get used to this, this space family and the home they’ve welcomed her into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find me at ossiferko.tumblr.com or http://spank-my-aston-martin.tumblr.com. Either or. Come say 'hi.'


	4. Kara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara comes out to Maggie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First part of this chapter takes place in between 'The Martian Chronicles' and 'Luthors.'
> 
> Second part comes after 'Mr. & Mrs. Mxzyptlk' while diverging from canon in terms of THAT nonsense. (We all know which nonsense I'm talking about.)

The first time it happens, Maggie ends up breaking the law.

Kara calls her and asks her to come to her apartment. The hint of panic in her voice has Maggie reaching for her jacket and telling her partner that there’s a family emergency. She has to leave. Joss makes Maggie promise to do the paperwork for their next case since she’ll be doing the paperwork for this one.

“You got it, Carter,” she calls over her shoulder. “Let me know what Taylor wants for his birthday.”

Maggie goes faster than the posted speed limit. She goes fast enough that she should be pulled over because she would pull over any other idiot driving through National City the way she is driving right now. But she doesn’t because she knows where the cops are hiding and if any of them see her they know she wouldn’t be speeding like this without a good reason.

She arrives at Kara’s in record time. She completely foregoes the elevator, opting to spring up the stairs. Maggie only knocks on the door once before it swings open and Kara is standing in front of her.

“Are you okay?” Maggie asks as she starts checking Kara for any injuries. (Which is silly because Kara is virtually indestructible, though Kara doesn’t know Maggie knows this.)

“Did you just come from work?” Kara takes a step back from Maggie and points. “You still have your vest on.”

Maggie blinks. She didn’t realize she was still wearing it. She slips off her jacket to start removing her vest.

"Of course I didn't? You sounded like you were about to start panicking over something.”

"Oh no! Maggie, I wasn't – I mean I kind of was but you – you didn't need to rush over here.” Kara adjusts her glasses. “I just wanted to talk to you about something but it couldn't have waited. I’m sorry you rushed over here.”

Maggie lets out a sigh of relief. She chuckles and ruffles Kara’s hair. Kara squawks. Her hands fly up to her head to smooth out her hair. There’s a hint of Supergirl in the glare she directs at Maggie.

“It’s cool, Little Danvers.” Maggie opens Kara’s fridge and grabs two water bottles, one for herself and one for Kara. “You got me out of paperwork tonight. Means I can surprise Alex with dinner later. Think she’d want Thai or Indian tonight?”

“She keeps saying she wants to try that new Indian place downtown.”

“Noted. You gonna join us?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You can even pick what movie we’ll watch tonight.”

“Awesome! Best sister’s girlfriend ever.”

“I try.” Maggie smiles. “So what’d you want to talk about?”

“Oh! Um.” Gone is the excitement over dinner and movies, replaced by her earlier nervousness. “I just wanted to tell you something. About myself.”

Like with Alex, Maggie doesn’t say much. Says nothing at all really as Kara starts rambling on about how much Maggie means to Alex and how much Alex trusts her. She lets Kara stutter through saying that she trusts Maggie too, more than anyone else Alex has ever dated. She watches Kara readjust her glasses one, two, three times before she reiterates that she wants to tell Maggie something about herself.

Kara’s hands flit down towards the buttons of her blouse. Maggie raises an eyebrow. Kara sees this and her eyes widen.

“”This isn’t what you think it is,” Kara squeaks as she starts undoing the buttons of her shirt.

Maggie makes sure to keep the laughter bubbling up in her chest out of her voice as she says, “Oh I think this is exactly what I think it is, Little Danvers.”

“No, Maggie. What – ugh!” The top of her Supergirl suit starts to show. “Stop smiling at me like that, Maggie. I’m trying to show you – ”

“That you’re Supergirl,” Maggie finishes for her.

Kara freezes. The House of El crest on her suit is completely visible now. She just gapes until Maggie says,

“Careful. You might catch a fly if you keep your mouth open like that.”

Kara snaps her mouth shut. She blinks, touches her glasses a couple of times before taking them off and setting them on the island. She doesn’t need to hide behind them anymore. Not around Maggie.

“How?”

“I didn’t become a detective by accident you know. I just watched you and Alex together and Supergirl and Alex together. It didn't take long to figure that one out, especially after you decided to travel to another planet without telling her. Then James and Winn came to me for advice about their Guardian secrets. Plus, the glasses? Don’t really help much.”

“They’re lead lined.”

“Are you saying you’re using your x-ray vision on me right now? I’m flattered, Kara. Really, I am but you know I’m dating your sister, right? And I’m crazy about her.”

Kara groans. She buries her face in her hands. She mumbles something Maggie can’t hear because she doesn’t have super hearing. Maggie asks Kara to repeat herself.

“I said Winn was right,” Kara grumbles.

“About?”

"You take the annoying big sister role more seriously than Alex.”

Maggie laughs. She ruffles Kara’s hair again.

“Don’t let Alex hear you say that. She’ll turn it into a competition.”

This time Kara laughs along with Maggie. Kara buttons up her blouse. Maggie moves to pull her into a hug but stops short. Kara opens her arms and Maggie hugs her.

“C’mon, kid,” she says, pulling back. “I think I promised you dinner and a movie with your sister.

Kara grins. She zooms around her apartment and picks up Maggie’s jacket and vest.

“Want to fly there?”

“Um. Maybe next time? When you don’t have to carry me and enough Indian food to feed everyone at the DEO.”

“Promise?”

“Sure thing.”

##

The second time Kara asks Maggie to come over to her apartment to talk, she remembers to tell Maggie it can wait until she’s done with work and not to speed. The second time, Kara has food waiting for Maggie. The second time, Kara is just as nervous as she was the first time she needed to talk to Maggie.

Kara doesn't say much in terms of why she asked Maggie to come over. She and Maggie talk about their respective work days while they chow down on Thai food. They talk about Alex’s upcoming birthday and whether or not they should go along with Eliza’s plan for a surprise party.

“Bad idea,” Maggie says as soon as Kara brings it up.

“Why?” Kara asks. “Surprise parties are so much fun! I’ve always wanted one but, you know.” She points to her eyes and ears. “Super hearing and x-ray vision kind of ruin that.”

“Because there’s a chance she might shoot someone or something if we happen to surprise her after work. She always carries a gun; everyone knows this. Bad idea.”

“Fair point.” Kara hums. “So what can we do for her birthday then?”

“We still have a couple of months to plan something. Why don’t you tell me why you asked me to come here?”

Kara sets her take-out container on the coffee table. Maggie does the same. She tucks her legs underneath her as Kara grabs a pillow and holds it to her chest. Maggie reaches out and squeezes Kara’s knee.

"Take your time, Little Danvers. Just remember, you can tell me anything.”

“Yeah.” Kara nods. “Yeah, I know.”

“Okay. Good.” Maggie reaches for the remote. “Want to watch Leverage? Alex keeps telling me to watch it but we haven’t had time to start it.”

“Sure. I’ll go grab us some more water.”

Maggie starts up the first episode of the first season. Kara returns with two waters and the container of homemade cookies Maggie brought over with her. She removes her glasses and sets them next to their take-out containers. She offers Maggie a cookie and grabs three for herself.

“So who’s your favorite character in this anyway?”

“Why don’t we watch a couple of episodes and you tell me?”

They get through two and a half episodes before either of the speak aside from Maggie asking a question about the show and Kara answering her. Kara pauses the show just as the team comes up with a plan to sell their mark a horse. She turns to Maggie.

“How did you know?”

“How’d I know what?”

“About you. Being – ” Kara waves her hands. “You know.”

“Being gay?”

“Yes, that.”

“Are you saying you’re gay?”

“No! No, I’m not. I’m just – just curious about how you knew. I know how Alex found out thanks to meeting you.”

“Well it always comes down to a girl, I guess.”

Maggie tells Kara an abbreviated version of Eliza Wilke. She leaves out the part where she was outed, leaves out the part where she was kicked out of her home. She’s not ready to share that story again, not yet. But she doesn’t full out lie to her. She says her father wasn’t okay with it, still isn’t okay with it. Mentions how her mother won’t really speak to her unless it’s on her birthday and even those conversations are brief.

She makes sure to tell Kara all the good parts though, the parts she told Alex after their Valentine’s Day prom. Maggie tells her about how her brothers and sisters were far more accepting, even if none of them really showed it until they were all out of the house. How her older sister Elena was her wing woman in college. How Penelope and the twins, Sophia and Daniel, surprised her with a visit last year and baked her rainbow cupcakes while she was at work. How her brother Michael, who reminds her so much of Winn, helped to develop an app where people could rate public spaces as safe or not safe for the queer community.

“But that’s enough about my life. I’m sure that’s not really why you asked me to come here. So spill. What’s got Supergirl asking a lowly earthling how she knew she was gay?”

“I don’t know. Sexual orientation wasn’t a thing on Krypton like it is here on Earth. Mostly because marriages were arranged for a long time so it’s not like people thought about it much. And I was sent away when I was thirteen so.”

“And now?”

"Now I'm starting to think about things I guess?”

“Like?”

Kara shrugs. Maggie watches her as she tugs on the sleeves of her sweater. They sit in silence. Kara grabs a cookie and eats it slowly. A couple of minutes later, Kara clears her throat.

"Mon-El told me I was his kryptonite.”

Maggie blinks. She opens her mouth. Then shuts it. Kara reaches for a cookie and Maggie does the same. She take a bite and uses the time it takes her to chew to formulate a response other than ‘huh’ and ‘ew.’ She realizes that she’s been silent for a really long time when Kara finishes a second cookie and looks at her expectantly.

“And how does that make you feel?” Maggie asks even though that’s not what she really wants to ask.

(What she really wants to ask if she punched Mon-El in the face.)

“Not great? I mean. Kryptonite is the only thing on this planet that can really hurt me.”

“Right. And being called someone’s weakness doesn’t really bring out the warm, fuzzy feelings inside, no matter what Hollywood wants you to believe.”

“Yeah. And Lena – ”

“Lena Luthor?”

Maggie sits up a little straighter. (Ha!) This is a new development. She’s about to smile but sobers up at the frown on Kara’s face. The two of them haven’t really talked about Maggie arresting Lena, aside from Kara finding Maggie afterward and telling her that she understood that Maggie was just doing her job. And then leaving to go check on Lena which makes so much more sense now.

"What about Lena?” Maggie asks, giving Kara an encouraging smile.

“She called me her hero.”

“Well Supergirl is a hero.”

“No, not Supergirl. Kara Danvers. She called _me_ her hero.”

Kara has a small smile on her face. Maggie presses her lips together in an attempt to keep her own grin at bay. Instead she nudges Kara with her elbow.

"You were the only one to fully believe she was innocent and did everything as both Kara and Supergirl to prove it.”

“Yeah. She also filled my office with flowers.”

“Damn, Luthor. Making the rest of us look bad.”

“Huh?”

Maggie shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just talking to myself. So Lena filled your office with flowers? And called you, Kara Danvers, her hero. While Mon-El called you his kryptonite.”

Kara nods. She reaches for another cookie and it’s not the first time Maggie wishes she could have nine cookies and not feel guilty afterward.

“And I told Alex about the whole Mon-El thing and she told me I should take a risk. And so I did? But he’s dating Eve now.”

Maggie groans and lets her head drop. She was going to have a talk with her girlfriend later about what was actually considered a good risk in terms of romantic relationships. She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t just hear that your sister actually encouraged you to pursue a guy who compared you to kryptonite.”

“I didn’t tell her about the kryptonite thing.”

“Should’ve led with that, Little Danvers. I guarantee her answer would have been different.”

“You think so?”

“Absolutely. No way some space frat boy gets away with calling Alex Danvers’ little sister kryptonite because he thinks it’s romantic. Nuh uh. What idiot compares a girl like you to something that can kill you?”

Kara snorts. “Tell me how you really feel, Maggie.”

“You want to know how I really feel?” Maggie turns so she’s completely facing Kara. She takes one of Kara’s hands in her own. “You, Kara Danvers, deserve so much more than some mediocre boy calling you his weakness while he expects you to call him your strength. You deserve someone who sees you for you, not just Supergirl.”

“Someone who fills my office with flowers?”

“If that’s what you’re into. Personally? I would have sent you some potstickers or donuts with those flowers but that’s just me.”

Kara laughs. She pulls Maggie into a hug.

“Thank you,” Kara whispers.

“Anytime, Kara.”

Maggie and Kara finish the episode of Leverage before Maggie heads over to Alex’s apartment for the night. She lets Kara fly her there like she promised last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find me at ossiferko.tumblr.com or spank-my-aston-martin.tumblr.com. Either or. Come say 'hi.'


End file.
